The joys of long car rides and online shopping

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     March 16, 2023 Earlier this week, I asked you progressives what you consider to be your guilty pleasures. Which products do you consume that benefit companies whose ideals oppose yours? Which environmentally harmful activities do you enjoy? I got about 200 responses (thank you for that!), and shopping at Amazon instead of supporting small businesses was overwhelming the number one guilty pleasure. Many of those who responded live in rural areas where big-box stores and online shopping are the only options for buying household goods. Others are disabled and rely on delivery services for things they need. But honestly, even as an able-bodied city-dweller, I get it. When I lived in New York, it endlessly frustrated me when I went into a retail store for some running shoes and was told that the product I was looking for in the size I needed was only available online. Here I was, standing in the middle of the financial capital of the world, and I couldn't find a pair of Reeboks? Other readers reported that they felt guilty about driving and air travel, both of which do serious damage to the environment. I'm with you there, too. Even as a [militant anti-car person]( who bikes whenever possible, I do share a (gas-powered) car, and I love hitting the open road for a drive. And let's face it, those trips across the country, not to mention the ocean, are a whole lot easier on an airplane. Many people pointed to the allure of fast fashion, but Valerie Lovejoy commented on her clothing's material: I wear plastic clothes, knowing that natural fibers are better for your body and for the environment, but it is difficult to find clothes that really look great for a full figured person. One anonymous reader who lives on an organic farm writes: My guilty secret is I don’t recycle. There are inevitable packaged items that make their way into my pantry (ketchup. Asian cooking pastes. Surprisingly many items, actually) and even though we have garbage pick up that includes recyclables, I don’t do it, and worse, go to some lengths to conceal this info. Given [how little plastic packaging]( actually winds up getting recycled, I don't blame you! Lastly, Kathy Brannigan says, "I'm judging me," but I promise, no judgment here: Chick-fil-A! Their anti-gay stance and far right Christian ideals I definitely don't support. And I'm a vegetarian! I fell off the wagon last year when my husband was in the hospital recovering from brain surgery from a brain bleed. I was driving home one night and so tired and hungry and there was the Chick-fil-A sign up ahead. I ordered a classic sandwich, waffle fries and a chocolate shake. OMG I was in heaven—everything tasted amazing. Ever since, I eat there once a month—in secret. I can't resist the temptation. God help me! Reading your responses, I realized that we are blaming ourselves for contributing to evils that are way beyond our control. We can blame [private equity]( and [corporate lobbyists]( for the dominance of big business over mom-and-pop establishments. Increased government oversight could make [Amazon workers safer](, and [new legislation]( could improve wages for fast-food employees. If our cities' infrastructure were not so [hostile to pedestrians](, and if the United States had a more extensive and accessible passenger rail network, it would be easier for us to get around without cars and planes. As many readers pointed out, boycotting Amazon won't fix anything. And when you consider the [astronomical carbon emissions of the ultra-wealthy](, individual sacrifices start to feel really futile. Thanks again for writing in. I truly enjoyed reading all your responses. —Abigail Weinberg P.S. Mother Jones is hiring a Foundations Officer to join our fundraising team. 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